Cyclone Mahasen - Its Started

Well readers I woke up this morning to heavy rain.  Not the usual downpour which is generally a quick shower and then everything gets back to normal.  Consistent heavy rain.  Ah just feels like home.

Now rain in Dhaka, never mind the rest of Bangladesh creates its own problems.  For starters walking about becomes hazardous.  With all the holes in the road, who knows what is a puddle or a six foot deep trench.   Driving is just as bad as you have everyone from walkers, to rickshaws, tuk-tuks, other drivers all vying for the sole piece of visible tarmac, I use that word lightly, in case the puddle harbours something more sinister.  Of course you are asking why not use the pavement.  Well readers where there are pavements, there are holes or more than likely low lying telephone and TV cables to get garroted on.  Everyday is an adventure and obstacle course!

So why the rain.  Well Cyclone Mahasen, named after a Sri Lankan King, they named it first and now realise they should not have named it after a king, even though he was instrumental in bringing irrigation to Sri Lanka, has formed in the Bay of Bengal and is bearing down on Bangladesh and Myanmar (Burma in old money).

What has been interesting in the build up to the storms arrival, are the amount of predictions of route, strength, perceived and potential damage, response etc.  All very mixed and conflicting I can assure you.  The one ray of hope in amongst this is that the Bangladeshi government have utilised all resources and are allegedly prepared for the storm and its aftermath.  The last couple of storms that have hit Bangladesh in the last 20 years have resulted in thousands dying and the country failing to respond to the enormity of the situation.

The UN, UKAid and the various NGO's are ready for what will hit Bangladesh but also Myanmar, where it could hit a region which already has over 50,000 displaced people from civil war.  The problem for Bangladesh is that most of the country is only a few metres above sea level.  So when you add extra water from the rain adding to a saturated ground never mind a predicted storm surge, then flooding is a real possibility - it just depends to what extent.

The next 48 hours or so will be telling.  Dhaka will have rain and some wind, from the cyclone fringes.  Further away will receive the impact from Cyclone Mahasen.  Fingers crossed readers.

Dhaka - 6 Months On

Well readers its the six month mark today and where has the time gone I hear you cry.  OK, for the record I can state that a few weeks of that have been in Malaysia, Nepal and recently New Delhi, but that's semantics.

So what have we grown accustomed to.  Well something never changes - Madam - 'I will leave in half an hour' is in fact see you in an hour and half and in many cases, traffic is not the blame.

You get used to disinfecting all fruit and veg.  Its amazing how you don't notice the taste of Milton sterilisation after a while.  Of course when we leave here, we will have not aged due to the formaldehyde that is sprayed on the veg/fruit (although they are supposed to be stopping that - mmm).  Water is out of a bottle or boiled then filtered - just a normal day.  The generator can be on and off all day with power coming and going - odd at first but you shrug your shoulders, wait 15 seconds and light returns.

I realised I needed to buy an Internet radio to get access to the rest of the world and more importantly Radio 4.  No I don't listen to The Archers, but it means I can keep up with local goss and my mate's jazz show.  Just in time for the Proms as well.  It felt like Christmas Day as a kid when it arrived through the mail bag - quite strange.  Mainstream culture is a bit short in supply here or if it does happen, it's so far away that a wee evening out is actually a day's expedition due to traffic, hartals or just plain practicalities of getting there..

My body aches - all over.  I have never done so much sport / exercise in my entire puff.  The tally so far is golf, cricket, swimming, gym, tennis and squash.  I'm knacked!  The annoying thing is, I haven't lost any weight.  The Doc says that's great as this posting is classified as a 10kg posting - humph.

Driving in Dhaka is unique.  The rules are, is that there are no rules.  This was made interesting yesterday driving in the rain and not knowing what was a puddle or a deep hole filled with water.  When walking about, a snorkel maybe necessary kit for doing the shopping.  Rickshaws are a pain when they don't make up their mind.  Mind you all drivers are a pain full stop.

The rains have started - early.  Will being a wee boy from Scotland that's nae trouble like.  However they are accompanied with Hollywood-esque style thunderstorms with spectacular  lightning and thunderclaps.  Its also warm rain - weird!  When it gets cold,  then it feels like a normal autumnal day in Blighty and fellow DC's (Diplomatic Colleagues) are feart of the cool pool in the winter - really pathetic!

You get used to sitting in traffic for no reason at all.  The barber giving you a head massage as part of your trim.  There are fruit and veg with unpronounceable names and best fried in curry powder as I am advised.  Yep ladies and gentleman they fry everything here - just like home - ahhhh.  You get used to no cheese, pork, sweets, cream, decent beer, Tunnocks, high speed Internet  etc - basically all the bad/good stuff depending on your point of view.

Living becomes part of your daily life in as much that everything needs planned, especially in relation to food.  No corner M&S here, which Madam relied on before I took pity on her.  Cafe culture is starting to develop in a Bangla sort of way.  You never get used to the long life milk in your cappuccino and decide its easier to stop drinking them.  Creativity is needed for cooking and chilling.  DVD's are in plentiful supply at very cheap rates.  Mind you I found out DVD's in Nepal are cheaper and better quality.  Me thinks I need to have a chat with our local supplier, irrespective whether they are knocked off or not.

Virtually everything gets recycled in some shape or form.  Case in point,  yesterday at the market, being the dutiful sustainable TS and haggling over my locally grown fruit and veg, the items were placed in paper bags.  On inspection at home, the bags were made from scrap paper which had various email addresses on, spreadsheets and replies to irate emails.  A shredder is now being pursued as we speak.

One thing is that when you get treated to a luxury, you really really appreciate it or take advantage of it before it goes.  The mail bag is infrequent which this year resulted in Christmas being put on hold for a number of people as the pressies were stuck in the UK mail centre as they had decided to finish early - ho ho ho - NOT.

The call to prayer happens constantly and you eventually fail to hear it, especially at 5am.  Mind you it is in that confusing stage where all the mosques do different times - not sure why, but it can bend your mind a bit.  Also the call to prayer speakers are right beside the ninth tee on the Army Golf Course - not good for the concentration.

Events are a highlight - even the monthly pub quiz!  Dinner parties are just a normal state of affair and excuse for anything.  Party decorators are a must for big events which either results in the flagrant abuse of health and safety rules as we know it for the erection of whatever or if in doubt over what decor to choose, just cover everything in un-earthed fairy lights.  I mean everything, trees, buildings, roads etc

I have started learning Bangla, which is quite amusing considering the trouble I have with English. Your car has to be kept clean - that I find very challenging!  No-one is ever at the other end of Skype even though their profile says they are on - please log off people - very confusing.  Six hours time difference just screws everything up.  All invites happen so late that in one instance we received the invite after the event had taken place.  When playing golf, you get used to having a caddie and ball boy - it's brill - you should try it. 

One thing I am not sure how I will get used to is that people you make friends with are suddenly going.  It is a weird life this diplomatic business.

So no doubt there is lots which I haven't mentioned, but if the first 6 months were are an onslaught to the senses then the next 6 will be even more.  What too look forward to - elections, war crimes verdicts, more hartals, more violence, bad weather and generally people being poorer off due to the chaos.  As they say a normal day in Dhaka - bring it on.

Its Raining

'The Dhaka Siege' - maybe not. But....

Images courtesy of The Daily Star - article http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/hefajat-men-torch-vandalise-50-govt-buses/

Delhi - The Visit

OK - Madam has a big pow wow in Delhi and because of the ignominy of leaving the TS A.I.D. recently, at the first opportunity she said come to Delhi.

What started off as a straight forward plan got changed very quickly by the powers that be.  I had to make my own way there and sort myself out, with the hope that Madam is available in the evening. Of course this was to take place  - on my birthday - yep readers - pseudo AID (Delhi).

So first impressions.  Well the traffic stops at traffic lights and the police actually enforce the regulations.  This was realised 20 mins after being collected with my driver straying into a pedestrian crossing area.  He got a severe talking to with a potential ticket cum slap across the wrist.  

No rickshaws are allowed on main roads; the tuk-tuks are minus the cage with characterful drivers; the traffic actually moves; there is space which meant it took forever to get anywhere and they are so scared at losing tourism, there is a policeman with a gun at every turn, or that's how it seems.  Add to that a metro/tube/underground which is practically brand new and requires everyone to go through airport style security to just get into the station.  The one big problem, the stops/stations are nowhere you want them to be resulting in between 2km - 5km walks to get to any sights in a 35-40C heat - great!  So far I averaged 3 litres of water just during the day.

Day 1 was to visit India Gate, an amazing memorial to the fallen - closed.  I found out after chatting to 3 Indians from Mumbai it was closed because of a demo (bit like Dhaka) due to a recent horrific issue involving a 5 year old.  Next stop - the National Museum.  In style of course, half the galleries were closed and no mention whatsoever of colonial rule.  Add to that, the cafe, 'a fantastic haven for a refreshment' (so the guidebook says), hadn't seen the light of day for who knows how long.  I assume it was open when the Commonwealth Games were on in 2010.

Then the highlight - the secretariat area Rajpath which was designed by Edward Lutyens and Herbet Baker when tasked to create New Delhi (done more triumphantly than the new town in Edinburgh.  Dig dig - well I am a Glaswegian)  - awesome. At least this has been left untouched with amazing use of space and avenues leading to central points.   The day ended with a visit to Humayun's Tomb - something which the Indian Government is now starting to do up and look after.  This was quite special.  Of course no-where near any public transport, but worth the walk and the opportunity to sit in the gardens, rehydrate and see the splendour.  Oh by the way - there are no eateries, coffee shops etc anywhere near any tourist attraction - be prepared!

Day 2 was troublesome.  No ATM's worked, stroppy ticket person at the metro, a 3km hike to the Red Fort.  Special and sad is the phrase.  A place which in its hey dey must have been quite something.  The British destroyed some of it and built the Victorian barracks in a colonial style (quite something) in there own way.  The prob is, its been left to crumble and decay slowly.  So much of the fort is overgrown, the fountains haven't seen water in a long time and this air of sadness hung over the place.  In tourist terms, this is a jewel, but a travesty in the way it is being treated.

The next stop - look at Old Delhi - after some time, my sense of humour wained - this was a more spread out Old Dhaka.  The next challenge was to find the Gandhi Museum - not straight forward.  No where near any public transport.  After a metro and tuk-tuk I was presented with a tired large house with even tireder (is that a word) curators never mind exhibits of Gandhi's life.  For someone who is the true father of the nation, I wonder whether he is still revered as he was. Across from the museum was this marble edifice to where Gandhi was cremated at Rajghat.  The only place I know where you have to remove your shoes to walk about it, and then have to pay to get your shoes back.

The next day was slower due to Madam having to work when she should have been chilling, not realising that nothings is where you want it, fighting your way through a queue to get a metro ticket, only then to fight your way on and off a train.  However it did end with me getting my birthday tea at the Orient Express in the Taj Hotel - highly recommend it!  An Orient Express dining carriage in the middle of the bar at the hotel.  Weird and wonderful.

The highlight of the trip was visiting the Taj Mahal.  It was agreed that a guided tour was essential for this bit.  I am glad we did.  For starters it was at least three and half hours a way driving on a new express way which no-one uses as sit is a toll road.  Quite strange driving along with little other traffic on a four lane motorway passing by new cities and I do mean new cities being constructed.  The TM itself was wonderful - a true wonder of the world and thankfully something the Indian government looks after.  No we did not have the obligatory photo on the seat made famous by Princess Diana - there was a large queue and it was now over 40C.  A quick tour round the Agra Fort to tick it off and then it was four hours back.

At least I can say I have seen Delhi - not sure if I would rush back unless it was for shopping and only for a quick trip.  I do hope the Indian Government get their act together regarding their national treasures and tourism per se.   

Hey ho - arriving back in Dhaka we were met by our driver accompanied with a police escort and close protection.  Life was not straight forward and if nothing else brought us both back to reality.